Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-09-24
FEATS OF INDIAN RIDERS.

wife.
FEATS OF INDIAN RIDERS,
The Wonderful Exhibition of Horseman-
ship by Young Arapahoe Warriors
Gen. James S. Brisbin, in the Omaha
Republican, writes as follows of a
scene witnessed in the camp of the
Arapahoe chief Friday:
"ln about an hour they drew up be-
fore the tents in war-paint and feathers,
and were as fine looking set of young
fellows as l had ever seen. They sat
their horses like centaurs, and were
ease and grace itself in the saddle
At signal from the chief they began
their movements with yell that sent
the blood curdling to the heart and was
enough, if heard unawares or in the
night time, to make ones hair stand on
end. In a moment they had disap-
peared over q neighboring hill to the
right, and I thought they had gone,
but, hearing a mighty trampling of
horses, I looked to the left and there
they came. [ can compare it to moth
ing but the wind, and they swept past
so swift and compact that they looked
like ball of horses and men. Split
ting in two, one body swept to the
right and another to the left, and again
disappeared. In about two minutes the
two bodies charged each other in solid
lines, and waited almost breathlessly
for the shock, but as the horses heads
almost touched each other the files
skillfully opened to the right and left
and the lines passed through the in
tervals without touching. Wheeling to
the right about they passed back in an
instant and again disappeared over the
hills. It was about fifteen minutes be-
fore they came in sight, and Friday in
formed me they were blowing their
horses. Presently on they came and
wheeled by tours, formed columns,
broke by tours, and finally deployed as
skirmishers. It was now we saw the
finest individual craftsmanship. Some
would approach lying so close to the
pony's back nothing but the horse
could be seen. Others stood up and
rode as circus men do. Some would
hang with one foot and one hand on the
horses and sweep by, their bodies COM
pletely protected by the bodies of the
animals. Some leaped Upon the
ground, holding to the name of the
horse, and after running step or two
would swing themselves up on the
backs of the horses again as easily as
any circus man could do it. The posi-
lions they assumed and the feats of
Craftsmanship which they performed
were Incredible, and I doubt If any
tn. g outside of circus ring ever
e. ,aaled it. They would throw objects
on the ground and pick them up again
while passing at full speed, the warriors
hanging to the sides of the horses with
one foot and one hand. They drew
bows and shot arrows from underneath
the necks and even the bellies of their
horses while riding at fast gallop.
Our cavalry could not learn to ride as
we'll as these Indians did if each man
was trained for twenty years. They
exchanged horses while riding, and got
behind each other. OIe man would
fall off his horse as if wounded, and
two others would ride up beside him,
and, taking him by an arm and leg,
swing him between their horses and
carry him off. The exhibition, or drill,
as Friday called it, lasted nearly two
hours, and the men and horses were
completely exhausted. I had never
seen such magnificent feats of horse
manship in my life, and I freely said
so. At this Friday was much pleased,
and, calling up the young men, re-
peated to them in loud voice what I
had said, and added few words of his
own complimenting them. The young
men were very proud of the manner
in which they had acquitted them
selves, and could imagine the feelings
of their parents and sweethearts. The
performers were much worn out, some
of them being hardly able to stand
after their violent exercise, and all the
evening [ saw them lying in the lodges,
where the Indian women brought them
food and water, bathed their hands,
arms, and limbs, and combed their
hair"